# 5 Declensions

Greek noun endings fall into patterns, called ‘declensions’. There are three declensions in total, with some variations inside each. The standard method for learning case endings is to learn the declension of one representative noun for each pattern. Two such nouns are τιμή and λόγος.

The case endings you have met so far are:

## Table 1 Two case endings

| τιμή, honour (1st declension) |
--- | --- | ---
| singular | plural
nominative | τιμή | τιμαί
accusative | τιμήν | τιμάς
genitive | τιμῆς | τιμῶν
| λόγος, word (2nd declension) |
| singular | plural
nominative | λόγος | λόγοι
accusative | λόγον | λόγους
genitive | λόγου | λόγων

The declension of a noun can be determined from its dictionary entry. Remember that the dictionary entry shows the nominative form of a noun (e.g. τιμή) and its genitive singular ending (-ῆς). A noun with the same nominative and genitive singular as τιμή will follow the same pattern of endings. In grammatical terms, it belongs to the same declension as τιμή, or ‘declines like’ it.

- First declension:
- τιμή, -ῆς, ἡ    honour
- βουλή, -ῆς, ἡ   plan, council
- κόρη, -ης, ἡ    girl
- νίκη, -ης, ἡ    victory

Here are some nouns that belong to the same declension as λόγος:

- Second declension:
- λόγος, -ου, ὁ    word
- ἄγγελος, -ου, ὁ   messenger
- δοῦλος, -ου, ὁ    slave
- ποταμός, -οῦ, ὁ   river

## Activity 6 Identify the declension

Allow about 5 minutes

Using the dictionary entries, decide whether each of these nouns belongs to the first declension, like τιμή, or the second, like λόγος.

στρατηγός, -οῦ, ὁ   general

first declension (like τιμή)
second declension (like λόγος)

πύλη, -ης, ἡ   gate

first declension (like τιμή)
second declension (like λόγος)

φωνή, -ῆς, ἡ   voice

first declension (like τιμή)
second declension (like λόγος)

διδάσκαλος, -ου, ὁ   teacher

first declension (like τιμή)
second declension (like λόγος)

ἐπιστολή, -ῆς, ἡ   letter

first declension (like τιμή)
second declension (like λόγος)

κώμη, -ης, ἡ   village

first declension (like τιμή)
second declension (like λόγος)

## Activity 7 Case endings – first declension

Allow about 5 minutes

These nouns decline like τιμή. Identify their case endings.

- Vocabulary
- νίκη, -ης, ἡ    victory
- φωνή, -ῆς, ἡ   sound, voice
- πύλη, -ης, ἡ    gate

νίκης

nominative
accusative
genitive

φωνήν

nominative
accusative
genitive

πύλη

nominative
accusative
genitive

## Activity 8 Case endings – second declension

Allow about 5 minutes

These nouns decline like λόγος. Identify their case endings.

- Vocabulary
- ξένος, -ου, ὁ     foreigner
- σύμμαχος, -ου, ὁ   ally
- ποταμός, -οῦ, ὁ    river

ξένον

nominative
accusative
genitive

συμμάχου

nominative
accusative
genitive

ποταμός

nominative
accusative
genitive

OpenLearn - Getting started on ancient Greek
Except for third party materials and otherwise, this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence, full copyright detail can be found in the acknowledgements section. Please see full copyright statement for details.